Kris: Kris-mas Wish
by SpongeGuy
Summary: Before the events of Kris' slumber party and Best Friends Forever?, Kris has to make a wish, on the day she feels most alone. Part of "The Milo Murphy's Law Wiki Guy AU", and a Christmas gift for Antzonian/Krazy4Kris.


Christmas, 2017.

In 4 days, the world of the citizens of Danville would change forever.

But for now, a different story was beginning.

Well, a prelude of sorts.

Written more than half a year later.

Geez, my schedule.

MOVING ON!

We avert our eyes from our usual protagonists to a lead some of you didn't expect, but one who plays a vital part.

For sometimes, it is the ones we least expect who become heroes.

And every hero has a start.

Ours really begins to change today, on Christmas day, which is important in more ways than one for her.

And this unexpected hero is none other than…

"KRISTINA CHANG!"

There we go!

Kristina "Kris" Chang, Dr. Zone fan and wannabe rolled her eyes so hard they nearly got stuck there as a certain maternal pain in the ass rolled in to the room.

Dr. Zone fought many villains.

Kris had one: Her mother.

Her weaponry wasn't technology, or piñatas: It was disapproval.

Hard, strict, and foreboding disappointment.

"Yay. I wonder what I did now…", Kris thought, resentful.

The house, red walls and cashmere carpeting, was getting decorated for Christmas.

All around one could see tinsel and little ceramic figures and bright lights that sparkled joy.

And standing proudly near the TV set was the tree itself, tall and firm, towering over Kris, just like her mother.

Perhaps that's why she was taking offence: After all, the tree was part of the never ending effort to change Kris to what her Mother wanted: Someone who wasn't her.

Kris, decked out in a red Dr. Zone Christmas themed sweater (which her mother hated), observed her mother with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. "And what is it NOW, Mother?"

Lian Chang was a proud Chinese woman, through and through. Her country, her values, were the be all and end all.

Having a daughter, and one that didn't obey the rules: That was a betrayal of all she stood for.

So the ruler tried to straighten the bend, never allowing for it to be itself.

Kris was not who Lian wanted.

And so Mother and Daughter clashed frequently.

It would have depressed Kris, if she hadn't decided a long time ago to practically hate her mother.

But a small voice would always weep whenever this happened.

Today was no different, and the context was arguably sillier than usual:

"Are you SERIOUSLY putting one of those infantile decorations on MY tree?"

"Our", Kris thought, and the Communist anthem suddenly played, causing the girl to turn around, confused.

Kris sighed. Of COURSE mother hated the Dr. Zone decoration.

If only she knew how hard she had worked on it.

Kris had spent weeks perfecting the felt doll, despite her aversion to sewing.

Kris had pricked her fingers and bled over her jeans and stuck a ton of bandaids to make sure she'd have the BEST Dr. Zone felt plush, small enough to hang on the tree, but not too small so once could bask in its glory.

It was marvelous!

It was glorious!

It was…

"It's childish and stupid, and I won't allow this!", Lian shouted, grabbing the felt doll.

Kris turned red and stomped her foot. "MOM! It's not fair! I worked on that for weeks!"

Lian didn't let Kris know that her daughter sewing without her and never asking her to teach the art of it hurt her.

But she did shout back.

"Well, you wasted your time, as usual!"

"Oh, boy. What's up this time?"

Gary Chang entered the room with steam all over his face, the Turkey thankfully ok, but his apron not, covered in basting and rice.

A simple smile on his face hoped to calm the fire in the room. "I go for a few minutes to cook and my favorite gals are already butting heads!"

Lian went off in Chinese to Gary, expressing her disappointment, which made Kris even angrier.

"At least talk in a language I give a crap about!", she grumbled in her mind.

Gary, after listening to Lian's rant and nodding softly, addressed Kris. "So, gumdrop, what's your side of the story?"

Kris sighed and made sure to only look at her father as she talked.

At least HE respected her.

Snatching the doll back from Lian's hands (causing her to scoff), Kris pointed at the doll with annoyance.

"I worked for weeks on this Dr. Zone decoration for the tree, but mother won't let me put it on because it's, and I quote, "Childish and stupid"!"

Gary looked at the felt doll and felt pride in his daughter's work swell in his chest.

"Aw, man! You made this, gumdrop? It's perfect!"

Kris allowed herself a shy smile, but before Gary could really appreciate the handiwork, Lian snatched it back.

"Zhàng Fu, this is not acceptable! Our tree needs to be dignified, not… Silly!"

Gary tried to calm his wife down, but Kris, unfortunately, was no help.

"WHAT? Why is my thing silly? You made an angel (which I don't agree with, by the way, since I'm an atheist, another thing you don't care about) that looks like your mother for crying out loud, but I can't have my idol on the tree?"

Lian didn't care, and she moved towards the trash can.

"Kristina Chang, you will not ruin my tree with something this juvenile! It is high time you grew up!"

And with that, Lian threw the doll away, causing Kris to need to clench her fists not to scream at her mother.

Gary wanted to say something, but he knew that there wasn't much he could do to convince Lian to change her mind.

Lian walked up to Kris and held her daughter's hands, hoping she could finally get the message through.

Her delicate fingers contrasted Kris' normal, slightly dirty fingers.

"Kristina… You are turning 19 years old. You're graduating from High School at the end of the summer. You are becoming a woman."

She looked at her intently, while Kris tried to avoid her gaze, hating all of this.

"…I expect you to start behaving like one."

Silence reigned, and after a few moments, Lian walked off, saying that she needed to call her mother or something.

Kris, meanwhile, growled and narrowed her eyes.

It was SO unfair!

All her mother ever did was complain and criticize!

What was so bad about Kris?

Why, was she some sort of freak?

Some sort of failure?

Some sort of monster?

Why couldn't her mother just love her?!

One couldn't see it, but her eyes were beginning to tear up as Gary put his arms around her.

He sighed, knowing that once again he'd have to do this.

He loved it, don't misunderstand, but having to separate the two every time was getting really tiring.

But his daughter needed him.

And until Lian would be ready to help, he'd have to do his part AND her part.

Kris immediately tensed down as he caressed her shoulders, and his soft fingers made circles on her stiff neck.

"…You want to go to the restaurant?"

Kris closed her eyes and let out a pained "Yes…"

The lights were mostly dimmed, except for the lightbulb above their heads.

The table was modestly decorated, really only a mini glow tree here and there.

Gary's matching jumper with his wife was now replaced with a Dr. Zone one, a la Kris'.

And sitting in front of him, sighing now with a leather jacket, was Kris.

The family's Chinese restaurant was one a place of comfort for her. Sure, she had to work there, and it brought bad memories of her heritage, but it meant she could be with her dad.

And while Kris had major problems with her mother, her father was definitely not a problem.

Gary leaned over and offered her a giant chocolate Santa. "I'd eat it, but I… I ate before. Very full."

Kris smiled, despite herself. She knew it was a lie, but it was the fact that he cared so much that made her want to eat it anyway.

He just made her feel comfortable. Kris could do things that made sense to her next to him.

Kris could be herself with him.

And that was all she really wanted for Christmas anyway.

Taking the Santa, she began to unwrap it while Gary stood up and poured them some hot cocoa he made.

Kris began to warm herself up, already feeling a bit better, and Gary began to ask a question he knew he sadly had to ask.

"Gumdrop… Are you ok?"

Kris put the mug down (not noticing a small cocoa moustache) and began to vent.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I mean, my mother only made me feel worthless again, that's all!"

She then muttered "She didn't even say "Happy Birthday" yet."

Kris had always found it annoying that she was born on Christmas.

Usually, her mother remembered (and later that day, she would tearfully apologize), but it was a telling sign that the wall between mother and daughter had grown so large.

She huffed as Gary extended his hand to her to comfort her.

He smiled soothingly.

"I know she can be strict, and tough, but your mother does love you, dear. She really does."

Kris rolled her eyes. "Does she, Dad? I mean, she doesn't even call me by my preferred name!"

Gary sighed. He wondered if he could ever fix the rift between his wife and daughter. "Kris… Your mother comes from a long line of tradition, and honor, and history. She's… She's very much a relic of the past."

Kris nodded, knowing he was right but not sympathizing in the least. "I know, I know that she has a whole family to live up to, but she makes me feel like I could never live up to her!"

"She DOES have high expectations…", Gary admitted, and Kris moaned, head on the table.

"It's so unfair!", her muffled voice delivered. "I'm never good enough for her! It's always "You're so childish this" and "You're so infantile that"!"

She began to hold herself, really feeling the angry tears sting her eyes. "Why can't she just accept me for who I am?"

Her voice cracked. "Why can't she just love me?"

Gary immediately went over to his daughter and hugged her.

He held her close, tight and long, letting her cry on his shoulder as he soothed her.

"Let it all out, gumdrop. Let it all out."

"I… I'm tired of having to win her over! Why can't she be more like you?"

Gary continued to pat her head as he began to explain. "Your mother, believe it or not, doesn't realize she's doing this. She's… Complicated."

"I'll say…", Kris sniffed as he began to put her down, but never removed his hands from her shoulders.

She almost felt little again, he was so big compared to her.

It felt safe.

"She doesn't hate you. Deep down, she loves you more than anyone. She just… She just wants you to be the best version of yourself. What she doesn't realize is…", he began, before wiping away a tear.

"…Is that the best version of you is not her."

Kris nodded. "I guess that's one way of looking at it."

Gary chuckled and caressed her cheek. "I promise you: One day, she'll understand. And one day, you won't feel the need to live up to anyone, or be better than you are."

"I don't need to be better, I'm great the way I am!", Kris countered, smirking a little.

Gary sighed softly. "In some ways. But everyone can improve a little bit."

He booped her nose. "Once you've found your true self, honey, you'll see: Everyone will see you the way I do."

"And…", Kris started, a small voice now residing in her throat. "…And what way is that?"

Gary scooped her up into his arms and held her tight. "A hero. The greatest one in the universe."

He kissed her cheek. "And remember: You're never alone. I love you forever and ever."

"Same, dad!", Kris returned, kissing him back on the forehead.

Gary put her down and patted her head. "Now, let's not embarrass you in front of your friends."

"You don't embarrass me."

"Still.", he added, and he came to unlock the door, the text notification still ringing.

He had received one, but he had decided not to answer it, since he was sort of in the middle of an important moment.

He opened the door and…

"Hey, Kris!"

Kris grinned. Sara and Wally, her two best friends, had come through as always.

Brushing her hands together, Sara looked around at the place. "It wasn't easy to get out of Christmas this time, but everyone is so busy with Cavendish and Dakota that it was easier this time to slip out."

She went over to Kris and hugged her. "You can come as my plus 1, if you want."

"I'll… Consider. I don't even really know them.", Kris said, but she didn't care about any Cooperdink and Hampshire, she cared about Sara.

And Wally, of course, who came over and hugged her too, albeit with a blush.

"I… How's your birthday?", he asked, clearly holding in a confession.

Kris rolled her eyes humorously as her dad went into the kitchen, clearly getting something.

"Same old: My mom was hard on me, but I'll manage."

She thought of her dad's words.

Could she be a hero?

She wasn't sure.

But she wasn't going to give up.

She smiled.

"…I'll manage."

A few minutes later, cake and presents showed up, and Kris felt surrounded by love for the first time in forever.

As she began to blow the candles, Kris made a silent, hopeful wish:

That one day, she could become a hero, like Dr. Zone.

And as Kris opened her eyes, she felt, for the first time…

Hope.


End file.
